This invention relates to a toilet seat having a cleansing facility.
The feature of the present invention comprises a development of two earlier inventions which were disclosed in International patent application PCT/AU91/00523 and PCT/AU94/00537.
Throughout the specification the term pedestal should be taken to include toilet pedestals of a substantially conventional form which defines a pa n and which is capable of receiving a toilet seat. In addition, the toilet seat should be taken to include a toilet seat which is adapted to be mounted to a pedestal to overlie the rim of the pedestal to provide support for an occupant, said toilet seat having an opening which overlies the pan of the pedestal.
Accordingly, the invention resides in a toilet seat having an opening providing access through the toilet seat, said toilet seat being provided with a cleansing facility, said cleansing facility comprising an arm supported at a one end thereof by said toilet seat at one side of the periphery of the opening, said on e end being supported from the toilet seat by a mounting which enables the arm to be capable of substantially longitudinal movement along a longitudinal path which Is substantially parallel with the central fore and aft axis of the toilet seat, said mounting also enabling pivotal movement of the arm when the arm is at a position on the path between a stored position at which the arm lies within or closely adjacent an inner periphery of the toilet seat and an active position at which the arm extends laterally from the inner periphery of the toilet seat across the opening such that its other end lies generally in the region of the central fore and aft axis of the toilet seat, said arm comprising a water supply duct adapted to receive water from a water delivery means, the water duct terminating at the other end of the arm as a water outlet, the water outlet being directed upwardly when the arm is In its active position, said arm further comprising a first air supply duct adapted to receive air from an air delivery means, the first air supply duct terminating at the other end of the arm as an air outlet, the air outlet being directed upwardly when the arm is in its active position, said cleansing facility having a control means operatively associated with a drive means and the water delivery means, said control means being adapted to cause activation of the drive means to cause the arm to move from its stored position to its active position, to move along the longitudinal path to one or more locations along the path, to cause activation of the water delivery means to enable the delivery of water from the water outlet when at the one or more locations.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention the pivotal movement of the arm is about a substantially upright axis.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the mounting comprises a longitudinal track provided in the toilet seat and the one end of the arm is slidably supported from the track. According to a further preferred feature, the mounting further comprises a slider, slidably supported on the track, said arm being pivotally supported from the slider to be movable between the stored and active position when at the said position. According to a further preferred feature of the invention, said position is located at one end of the path whereby the arm is in its stored position when the slider is at the one end of the path and the arm is moved from the stored position to the active position as the slider moves from the one end of the path and the arm moves from the active position to the stored position as the slider moves approaches the one end of the path. According to one particular embodiment, the movement of the arm between the stored and active position is effected by a bearing member provided on the arm slidably engaged with a formation on the toilet seat.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the water supply duct is connected at the one end of the arm to a delivery conduit provided in the toilet seat which is connected to source of water said delivery conduit comprising the water delivery means. According to one embodiment, the source of water comprises the mains supply and the water delivery means further comprises a control valve operatively controlled from the control means and associated with the delivery conduit. According to an alternative embodiment, the source of water comprises a reservoir and the connection to the water duct is effected through a pump controlled from the control means.
According to a preferred feature of each of the embodiments, a water heater is associated with the water supply.
According to a preferred feature of the invention, said first air duct is associated with at least one second air duct provided in the toilet seat, the air delivery means being connected to the at least one second air duct, said first air duct communicating with the at least one second air duct when the arm is in its active position and is at said one or more locations.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the slider has a passage which is connected to the first air duct when the arm is in its active position, said passage communicating with the at least one second duct when the arm is at said one or more locations. According to a further preferred feature of the invention said at least one second air duct comprises two second air ducts each having an outlet, the outlets being located in spaced positions along the track, said one or more locations comprising two locations and wherein said passage engages with one or the other outlets when it is at the respective locations.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, each of the second air ducts are connected to a common inlet and a means is provided for directing airflow from the inlet to the outlet of which the slider is located. According to a preferred feature of the invention, the air delivery means comprises a fan.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention an air heating means is provided in association with the first and/or second air duct and which is controlled by the control means to heat air delivered from the outlet. According to one embodiment the heating means comprises a heating element located in the first duct in heat exchange relationship with the flow path through the first duct. According to another embodiment the heating means comprises a heating element provided between the fan and the inlet.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the toilet seat further comprises a second water outlet located at the forward inner periphery of the opening, the delivery of water to the second water outlet being controlled by the control means.
According to a further preferred feature of the invention, said second water outlet is capable of being manipulated to control the direction of the water flow.
The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of several specific embodiments.